Use of fruit processing by-products for the development of cookies: physicochemical, nutritional, technological and sensory aspects

Abstract

Use of fruit processing by-products for the development of cookies: physicochemical, nutritional, technological and sensory aspects The present study aimed at characterizing pineapple, apple and melon byproducts and evaluating their potential as an ingredient for the partial substitution of wheat flour in cookie formulations. The addition of fruit by-products contributed to rise the cookies fiber content. Melon by-product was prominent for its mineral content, whereas apple byproduct presented more relevant results for phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity (DPPH and ABTS). Such behaviors reflected in the cookie formulations. Eight phenolic compounds (vanillic acid, gallic acid, sinapic acid, salicylic acid, p-coumaric acid, catechin, epicatechin and rutin) were identified and quantified by HPLC in both the by-products and cookies. Regarding the antinutritional factors and mineral bioavailability, it was observed that the addition of fruit by-products in cookies reduced the contents of phytate and oxalate and promoted changes in calcium, iron and zinc bioavailability. Facing the technological aspects, it was observed that the use of by-products interfered in the color of the cookies, making them slightly darker and also weakened the gluten formed, promoting variations in diameter and expansion factor. On the other hand, it was observed that increasing concentrations of by-products led to higher values of hardness, making the cookies firmer and crunchier. In the sensory point of view, it was verified that the cookie with 15% of pineapple by-product demonstrated the highest acceptance, followed by cookies with 15% of apple by-product, control and 15% of melon by-product. By quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA), it was found that the addition of fruit by-products altered the sensory profile of the cookies. From the results obtained, it can be concluded that the fruit by-products are potential ingredients for cookie formulation, attributing to them specific physicochemical, technological, nutritional and sensory properties which can vary according to the byproducts employed.